COPPERAS COVE — If Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Palumbo learned one thing this year it's this: his wife is a super woman.

While 1st Lt. Natalia Palumbo is deployed to Kuwait with the 553rd Combat Support Sustainment Battalion, Kevin is mom and dad to their two sons: 9-year-old Anthony and 21-month-old Sebastian.

"I've got a grand new appreciation for the Amy wives that do it," he said Thursday at the Palumbo's home in Copperas Cove.

'Something there'

Kevin and Natalia met in Miami more than 10 years ago. Kevin was an infantryman with almost six years of service. Natalia taught English to native Spanish speakers. They stayed in touch and after he went back to New York, she followed.

"We could tell there was something there," Kevin said.

"I guess it worked out."

Natalia, who studied to be a teacher in her home country Argentina, attended college and enlisted in the Army Reserves. She received a full ROTC scholarship and eventually earned her master's degree and a commissioning in 2008.

Kevin was deployed to Afghanistan with Fort Hood's 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, at the time.

Kevin was a "typical young kid in the Army" when he met Natalia. She was "extremely mature," motherly and responsible. She was the most driven person he'd ever met and she pulled him out of a rut, he added.

Dual-military family

Before the Palumbos got married in 2001, they talked a lot about family and the importance of passing on to their children the good values they learned from their parents, Natalia said. She knew then he would be a good father.

"I knew he desired to become a father and he understood that parenthood is a big responsibility," she wrote last week in an email from Kuwait.

They also discussed life as a dual-military family before Natalia became an officer, weighing the pros and cons.

"We made the decision that we could both have a career serving in the military and we understood the consequences: deployments and separations," she said.

Leaving her husband and sons at home was probably the hardest thing Natalia said she ever did.

"I knew that I had to fulfill this deployment obligation with the Army, but my heart was aching at the idea of leaving them for 12 months," she said.

When Kevin returned from Afghanistan, he fully took charge of his family duties and responsibilities, and he's always been involved dad, Natalia said. Still, she worried about leaving her husband with their home and the boys.

"I always worry, but I knew that my husband could take care of the boys and the house almost as good (as) I do," she said.

Daily routine

On a typical weekday, Kevin gets up about 4 a.m. He wakes the boys up at 5:30 and after a quick breakfast, they leave for day care. Tuesdays start a little later and they all get to sleep in a few hours.

Kevin picks the boys up from day care about 5:30 p.m. Next is homework, snacks and dinner preparation. Clean up, baths and bedtime follows.

Kevin's day continues after he goes to bed, washing dishes, doing laundry and working in the yard or completing projects around the house — his therapy. He doesn't have much time for one of his hobbies — golf — these days.

Plans vary a little on Thursdays when Fort Hood soldiers get to end their work days several hours early for family time.

Kevin prefers to grocery shop on those days, that way he can spend all his time with the boys on the weekends.

Weekends are for spending time together, swimming and talking to Natalia on the computer.

"I never truly appreciated how much she does — even with us both here," Kevin said. "I guess it took her leaving to realize I wasn't totally holding up my end of the bargain."

'Just us guys'

Kevin said he is fortunate in many ways: Natalia is deployed to a less dangerous place than where he spent a year with the 1st Infantry. He has his first "desk job" as assistant senior noncommissioned officer of the U.S. Army Operational Test Command's operations and training office. The command's leaders are understanding and helpful. He has good friends in the area who are there when needed.

Anthony has stepped up and is a "huge help" with Sebastian. Anthony has seen his dad and now mom leave and he is an "old pro at the deployment thing," Kevin said. He's always been responsible and stepped up as the man of the house when Kevin deployed to Afghanistan.

"Sevi, just us guys, huh?" Kevin said to Sebastian on Thursday as he toddled around the house with toy cars.

He knows others out there aren't as fortunate as him.

Father's Day plans

Other than learning that his wife is a superhero, Kevin also has a new understanding of the Army resources out there for parents. His situation has also given him more insight to those going through the same thing — some of whom could someday be soldiers under him.

Natalia said families who may experience the same thing should have a good, solid family care plans and mothers have to be strong for their children.

Kevin does a fantastic job, Natalia said.

"I'm very proud of him, and the fact that he has been able to find the routine to keep performing excellent at work and to run the house all by himself," she added.

The Palumbo men will, of course, spend Father's Day together.

Kevin said he would likely celebrate with a nice, big steak out on the newly finished patio. He, Anthony and Sevi planned to camp out in the backyard Saturday night and spend today together, swimming and barbecuing.